Stephens (20-6, 7-5 UFC) swept the scorecards in the preliminary
lightweight matchup, earning a pair of 10-8 rounds from the judges:
30-27, 30-26 and 30-26. The 25-year-old Des Moines, Iowa, native
has won four of his last five fights.

A three-time “Knockout of the Night” winner, Stephens drilled
Downes with repeated low kicks, overhand rights, uppercuts to the
body and timely takedowns. He drew blood in the third round,
carried Downes (8-2, 0-1 UFC) across the cage en route to a
takedown and thwarted the once-beaten WEC veteran at every turn.
Stephens nearly finished it in the waning moments, as he locked in
a rear-naked choke on his bloodied foe. Only the horn saved
Downes.

Roop Springs Upset, Stops Grispi

“The Ultimate Fighter” Season 6 semifinalist George Roop
sprang an upset on Josh Grispi,
as he stopped the talented WEC import on third-round punches in a
preliminary featherweight matchup. The end came 3:14 into round
three.

Grispi was never much of a factor in the fight. A former Rage in
the Cage champion who now trains under Shawn
Tompkins, Roop (12-7-1, 2-3 UFC) battered the aggressive
22-year-old Plympton, Mass., native with elbows to the head and
punches and knees to the body. He answered takedowns by quickly
rising to his feet and unleashing his strikes.

By the time round three rolled around, Grispi was so exhausted by
the punishment he had absorbed that referee Herb Dean had
to warn him to keep his mouth guard where it belonged. A right hand
to the gut put down Grispi (14-3, 0-2 UFC) and sent Dean in motion
for the stoppage. Grispi entered the match with 10 wins in his last
11 outings.

“I'm always going to be the underdog,” Roop said. “I always have
been.”

An Indianapolis-based Integrated Fighting Academy representative,
Bailey (12-3, 1-0 UFC) set the stage for victory in the first
round, as he secured three takedowns and also attacked with effect
on the feet, utilizing a stout left hand and work from the muay
Thai plum. His handiwork left McGillivray with swelling near his
left eye.

Rounds two and three took on a similar feel, and even though
Bailey’s pace slowed, his wrestling was strong enough to allow him
to execute takedowns and dictate where the fight took place. Unable
to stay upright, McGillivray (11-5-1, 0-1 UFC) let his frustrations
spill forth as his Octagon debut came to a close in disappointing
fashion.

Spike TV
Photo

Harvison edged Edwards.

Harvison Takes Split Nod,
Tops Edwards

“The Ultimate Fighter” Season 13 quarterfinalist Clay
Harvison took a split decision from previously unbeaten
castmate Justin
Edwards in a preliminary welterweight tilt. All three cage-side
judges scored it 29-28, two of them for Harvison.

Edwards (6-1, 0-1 UFC) came out with strong intent, as he scored
with multiple takedowns and effective strikes in the first round.
Harvison recalibrated for round two, as he stonewalled Edwards’
efforts to get him to the ground and racked up points while the two
remained upright.

The 30-year-old Georgian followed a similar recipe in the third, as
he landed crisp combinations and turned away attempted takedowns.
Harvison (7-1, 1-0 UFC) later delivered a trip takedown of his own,
passing Edwards’ guard into side control. A Jorge Gurgel
protégé, Edwards made a last-ditch play for the judges, as he
struck for a late takedown and took his foe’s back. He lost
position but trapped Harvison against the cage, firing away with
punches to the bell.

Jorgensen Waylays ATT’s Stone

Former WEC bantamweight title contender Scott
Jorgensen dazzled in his UFC debut, as he knocked out American
Top Team’s Ken Stone with
ground-and-pound 4:01 into their 135-pound undercard bout.

The two UFC rookies traded strikes from the start, until Jorgensen
altered the landscape of the fight with a takedown. Stone (9-3, 0-1
UFC) remained aggressive and maneuvered for submissions from his
back but left himself vulnerable to Jorgensen’s considerable speed
and power. The Twisted Genetiks representative snapped Stone’s head
to the side with a right hand from inside guard and polished off
the Coconut Creek, Fla.,-based bantamweight with another. Follow-up
blows landed on the unconscious Stone before referee Steve
Mazzagatti could leap in to save him.

Jorgensen (12-4, 1-0 UFC) has rattled off six wins in his past
seven outings.

Duran Choke Submits Rivera

A back-and-forth encounter ended with a decisive finish, as
Reuben
Duran submitted WEC import Francisco
Rivera with a third-round rear-naked choke in a preliminary
bantamweight matchup. Rivera asked out of the fight 1:57 into round
three.

Duran (7-3-1, 0-1 UFC) weathered two attempted guillotine chokes
from Rivera in the first round and found another gear in the
second. The 27-year-old Ontario, Calif., native nearly mounted
Rivera, took back control and searched for a choke in the closing
seconds. It was a sign of what was to come.

A King of the Cage veteran, Duran followed a series of clean
punches with a powerful takedown in the third round, as he landed
in side mount and went to work. Threatened with a topside crucifix,
Rivera (5-2, 0-1 UFC) instead surrendered his back. Not long after,
the rear-naked choke and tapout followed. Duran has posted five
wins in his last six appearances.